Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-11-17


and was surprised that Mr.. Dalton did
not seem to be aware that any thing
was wrong.
81 certainly shall not enlighten him."
she declared to herself, "but will see
what | can do with Lucy when he is
gone. Ignorance is bliss in such case
as this. Why, he would fret himself
to fiddlestrings if he thought she were
i'm
When the morning arrived which
witnessed Mr.. Dalton's departure to
the north, Edith noticed more than
ever that her friend was laboring
under some emotion which was not
unconnectcd. so it seemed to her, with
excitement
Edith withdrew to let the couple say
farewell. As she went into the draw
ing-room, her thoughts flew for the
first time to her father and his mar
riage scheme.
81 suppose I had better write and
tell the poor old man that consent to
meet Mr.. Rochdale. 1t can do no harm
at any rate, and l can't possibly marry
him without seeing him first will
90 home at the end of this week.
The first day of Mr., Daton's absence
passed much as usual. On the second,
Mrs. Dalton drove out with her friend
and child, and did some shopping. AS
they returned to the comfortable villa
near Regents Park, they met a
woman carrying a parcel in her hand,
evidently bound for a journey.
"Why, that is Parker, is it not?"
Edith said suddenly; lis she. going
away, LucyP"
Parker was the housemaid at the
villa.
"Yes," Mrs. Dalton murmured, stop
ping with hurried gesture to push
some parcels on to the seat opposite.
"She has been wanting to 60 home for
some time, and | thought now Herbert
was away it was good chance to give
her n holiday"
Edith acquiesced in this, and did not
observe Lucy's face flush crimson and
then fade to deathly pallor as she
spoke; indeed, at that moment they
turned in at the gates; and Parker was
forgotten.
The two women dincd rather drear-
lily, for Lucy was strang 'ly dull, and
Edith was suddenly attacked by an UNI
usual and disagreeable toothache,
"Why not go to bed EdithP" Mrs.
Dalton suggested as the clock struck
nine and they were back in the draw
ing-room.
Edith felt desperately cross with her
self. IA nice person | am to cheer any
one up" she thought viciously. She
was more than annoyed that so trivia
but painful an ailmcnt should visit hen
when she was the pOssessor of so rarely
white and even a set of teeth. She was
not easily beaten, but after half al
hour had gone, during which she had
been too uncomfortable to notice the
strange, restless manner in which Lucy
tidgetcd about, she threw up the sponge
and declared for bed.
'Let me bring you some brandy
and-water, and it will make you sleep,
was Mrs. Dalton's eager request.
And Edith was obliged to permit hel
friend to perform this charitable Office
and see her to her room. She bad'
Lucy good night, and after wild dc
sire to bang her head against the wall
drank the brandy with a shudder, anC
after short while dropped off into a
delightful slumber, in which every
twinge of pain was lost. All at one,
she awoke with start, and her hear
beat in an uneven fashion; she sat "
in bed and looked ut her watch-jus
twelve o'clock; she had slept, then
over two hours soundly, and the re
fractory tooth was subdued. She wa:
slipping her watch under the pillow
when again she started; it had been NJ
delusion, FOOTSTEPS were passing dow
the landing. Like lightning Edith wa
out of bed and had thrown on he
dressing gown. Her courage faltere,
for moment, for Edith was only
girl, and hideous stories of pistols ant
hasty shooting by latter-day burglar
came to her mind; but it was only TO
a moment; then taking her candle il
hand, she went as noiselessly rs posi-
bic to the head of the stairs and passed
down. All was still, and from tn
Pickering light of the hall-lamp sh,
could see there was no one left as sen
tinel or spy; so she determined, no
without n curious sensation at he
heart, TO creep boldly down, recon
hotter and then 90 back and rouse til
| house. She made very little noise i
descending, and at last stood in tn
hall. The voice was still faint, and sh
paused to listen before proceeding
The next instant she was at the dining
room door and had thrown it wild
open.
A smothered woman's shrek and al
oath greeted her, and lump SCENE
to rise in her throat.
Lucy" she said. in choked, hardl
audible tones, 'your child is up stair
and needs you at once"
Without word, but with face a
white rs death, Lucy passed her in til
doorway, and the quick step up tn
stairs testified to the existence of tn
mothers sudden dread and pain.
The man left thus stranded wa
young, of dark, handsome type, a
tired in evening dress,
He stared at the girl before him wit
contracted brow, and looked, as h
must have felt wretchedly i'll at cas-,
you, slr, whoever you may b,